Spill contamination is 60 times world limits: Report

The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri) has submitted its first development report on the extent of contamination due to the recent oil spill caused by the collision of MSC Chitra and MV Khalijia off the Mumbai coast.

Teri carried out the bio-remediation process at Awas beach in Alibaug and Navy Nagar in Colaba with permission from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) along with the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL). The beach was physically cleaned and oil contaminated soil and tar balls, etc. were transferred to a secured bio-remediation pit near the sea and sprinkled with Oilzapper.

According to the report, the Awas beach sample contained 60,000mg/kg of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH). “This is higher than the international permissible limit of 1,000mg/kg,” said Dr Banwari Lal, Teri director who headed the operation in Mumbai.

“Furthermore, at the INS Kunjali, Navy Nagar site, the oil contamination on the day of the collision was 38% in excess of the permissible limit, or 3,81,000mg/kg.”

He added, “The contamination at both sites has been way above the international permissible limits. At present, there is no permissible limit set for oil contamination on Indian soil. We hope the regulatory authorities will set the standard limit so polluters can be penalised.”

The spill is due to furnace oil stored in the ship, which is heavier and more difficult to degrade than crude oil. It contains organo-sulphur compounds which are highly undesirable from the environmental perspective. While the operation at Awas beach is completed, the Navy Nagar site will take more time. “We need at least 10 more weeks to clean it up entirely,” Lal said.